When the female reaches sexual maturity she will fill with eggs, however, they will not be ripe until she is in site of or in the same water with a male.

I have read conflicting reports that eggs only ripen when the female in in the same water as the male due to hormones emitted from the male that triggers the ripening of eggs for spawning, I have also read report that the eggs ripen once she sees the male,
I am inclined to believe that it is hormone emitted by the male that triggers the eggs to ripen not the site.

The female will usually absorb the unripe eggs and be just fine, and they do this on a regular basis to keep fresh eggs ready for spawning, when in site of a male or placed in the same water as a male the eggs ripen and unless spawned she will usually drop them and eat them or absorb.

Females can become egg bound, however, this is rare IME...

I have had females that looked like they would pop any minute and the next day look thinner without a male present, I have seen females drop eggs at the site of males and some eat them and others do not, as well as drop eggs without a male in site.
I have had a female at the site of a male when introduced wedge herself under something and express her eggs and turn around and eat them refusing to spawn and then attacking the nest when I was conducting a duel female spawning experiment, she was culled and a different female used and the experiment was successful.......